How to get Rotom in Pokémon Go, from Wash Rotom to all other Rotom forms explained

How to get Rotom with Pokémon Go

As part of the Go Tour: Sinnoh event in February 2024, Regular Rotom was made available through the Ghost in the Machine Timed Research quest. This quest could be unlocked using the code - 0HY0UF0UNDM3 - with instructions on how to do so, along with the quest's challenges, being found on our Ghost in the Machine guide.

Outside of this, Rotom, like Smeargle, enjoys being a Snapshot Photobomb Pokémon and, while Rotom is very rarely in Pokémon Go, when it is appearing via this method, you can catch by following these instructions:

1. Open the Snapshot mode with any Pokémon of your choosing
2. Take pictures of the Pokémon (turn off AR+ to make this step easier!)
3. Exit Snapshot mode, where you review the images you have just taken
4. At this point, Rotom may appear in one of your photos
5. If Rotom does appear, it will spawn in the wild on the map screen, to be caught like any other Pokémon
6. If Rotom does not appear, repeat the above steps

That's essentially it - keep using the Snapshot feature until Rotom appears. You may even be able to catch multiple Rotom using this method.

What Rotom Forms are available in Pokémon Go?

Rotom, known as the Plasma Pokémon, has a quality which allows it to take the appearance of different electrical appliances.

The debut form of Rotom in Pokémon Go is Wash Rotom, an Electric and Water-type, was made available on July 25th, 2020 as part of Pokémon Go Fest. It would later become available again as part of the Sixth Anniversary event in July 2022 as a reward for the event's timed research quest.

The official Pokémon.com Pokédex entry describes Wash Rotom as:

"This form of Rotom enjoys coming up with water- based pranks. Be careful with it if you don't want your room flooded."

The second Rotom form - Mow Rotom - was released two years later as part of the Go Fest 2022 Berlin in-person event in July 2022. It would later appear at Go Fest 2022 Seattle in the same month and Go fest 2022 Sapporo during August of that year.

At the time of writing, Mow Rotom was only been made available to players who attended these in-person events and, like Wash Rotom, it could only be found via photobombing Go Snapshot. We don't know when Mow Rotom will be available to players wordlwide.

What we do know, however, is that Mow Rotom is an Electric and Grass-type Pokémon. The official Pokémon.com Pokédex entry describes Mow Rotom as:

"This is Rotom after it's seized control of a lawn mower that has a special motor. As it mows down grass, it scatters the clippings everywhere."

Frost Rotom was the third Rotom form to be released in Pokémon Go and has only been made available to players who attended the Go Fest 2023: Osaka event in August of that year. It then made a reappearance at the New York and London in-person Go Fest events. This means only players who attended these events have this Rotom form in their collection at the time of writing.

Like the previous Rotom forms, Frost Rotom could only be obtained via photobombing Go Snapshot. We also don't know when Frost Rotom will be made available to players worldwide.

Frost Rotom is an Electric and Ice-type Pokémon and, according to its Pokédex entry, 'The Rotom has entered a refrigerator. It leaps around gleefully after it uses cold air to freeze the area around it.' (Glad to hear Frost Rotom is having a fun time. Not so great for anyone caught in its wake through...)

The fourth Rotom form to be released was Regular Rotom - the original Electric and Ghost-type version of this Pokémon. Its shiny form was also released at the same time.

Regular Rotom was released as part of the Go Tour: Sinnoh event in February 2024. Unlike past Rotom forms, Regular Rotom was available to every Pokémon player upon release. The catch, however, is that you had to redeem the Ghost in the Machine Timed Research quest by using the code - 0HY0UF0UNDM3 - to unlock said quest.

Players then had to complete this quest before 8pm (local time) on Sunday 25th February to have the chance of catching a Regular Rotom. Like the other Rotom forms, we don't know when Regular Rotom will be making a return to Pokémon Go.

Rotom original's Pokédex entry states: 'Its electricity-like body can enter some kinds of machines and take control in order to make mischief.' This is why there are other Rotom forms for you to collect in Pokémon Go!

The surprise appearance of Rotom means we have no clue as to whether any other Rotom Forms will be making their way into the game in the near future - but thanks to the main games, we know what to expect when they do...

The Max Out Season is here and includes a new global event, Wild Area. Currently, the Simply Groundbreaking event is running. You can now catch Dynamax Pokémon through Max Battles. First, however, you need to visit Power Spots to collect Max Particles and complete the To the Max! quest. Don't forget to try out Routes, Gift Exchange and Party Play while you're hunting down rare Pokémon, fighting in the Go Battle League or competing in PokéStop Showcases.

All Rotom Forms Heat, Wash, Frost, Fan and Mow Rotom explained

Debuting in Gen 4, Rotom can possess and take the form of different electrical appliances.

In the process, it will take on new forms and change type along the way.

Here are the Rotom Forms we know about from the mainline entries. To clarify, these are not in Pokémon Go at the time of writing, but the following gives you an idea of what to expect:

Rotom Form		Type
Rotom		Electric / Ghost
Heat Rotom		Electric / Fire
Wash Rotom		Electric / Water
Frost Rotom		Electric / Ice
Fan Rotom		Electric / Flying
Mow Rotom		Electric / Grass

If you've missed out on a Rotom form, the don't worry - Rotom will eventually return! You might just have to wait a while...